Drama The Acres, from Grace Okyere-Fosu, and Lizzie Hart’s comedy Kitty, are the recipients of The Pitch Film Fund 2025 Awards. This year’s Lucy Scher Award goes to Alice Johannessen for Flesh and Blood.
Lizzie Hart, a recent theatre studies graduate from Derby, and The Pitch’s youngest entrant, won the Comedy Award with Kitty, a laugh-out-loud hilarious romcom about a charismatic neurodivergent shop assistant, grappling with her first crush, a treasure hunt and the perfect jumper. The judges commended her for her natural storytelling and her ability to shine a light on the personality of a neurodivergent* person, helping the audience hear their unique underrepresented voice with The Pearl of Great Price. Commenting on her win, Lizzie said: ‘The Pitch experience has been a total dream from start to finish and I’m so honoured that I’ve been given this opportunity to tell Kitty’s story; a story for the many people who see the world a little differently. I can’t wait to get started.’
*One in seven people in the UK are considered neurodivergent (more than 15% of the population).
Judge and The Pitch Finalist (2016), BAFTA-winner Gbemisola Ikumelo (Black Ops, Brain in Gear), commented on Lizzie’s comedy win saying: ‘Lizzie Hart’s pitch was a masterclass in how to excite and relax audiences with huge belly laughs and then whilst our defences are down, sucker punch us with heart and emotion.’
Grace Okyere-Fosu, an actress/writer from Manchester, is the winner of the Drama Award with The Acres, a story about a mother who builds a garden to cope with her grief, bonding with an anxious new mother in the process. It is inspired by the redemption story of Psalm 126, a Song of Ascent, which speaks of sowing seeds, even with tears, and then reaping a reward, one of joy. The story explores this from the grief over the actions of a murderer. Commenting on winning, Grace said: ‘I’m excited that I get to make this film. I love these characters, and I can’t wait to view the world from their perspective.’
On Grace’s drama, Gbemisola said: ‘I believe Grace is going to be a household name in the film industry. Even her early work boasts a beauty and poise that belies her experience and when you meet a talent like that, you simply have to support them.’
Animation and puppetry director Joseph Wallace, from Hastings is the recipient of the Outstanding Drama Award with The Exorcism of Gerasene, about a physician who is summoned to a remote coastal village to help a possessed man, where he soon realises there is more than one kind of demon lurking and that the village is harbouring a dark secret. Joseph brings an old-school folk horror approach to his adaptation of the biblical story with the use of live action, puppets and shadow play. Commenting on receiving the Outstanding Drama Award, Joseph said: ‘What a journey! I’m absolutely delighted to have made it to the finals and to receive this award in recognition of my pitch. It has been a joyfully creative journey developing the story and the pitch itself and I couldn’t have wished for a more kind and nurturing team than the folks at The Pitch.’
James Newman, writer/director from Reading, Berkshire, received the Outstanding Comedy Award with The Idea, a comedy about a gossip-loving priest who stumbles upon a powerful idea. The catch? Everyone he shares it with loses their heads - sometimes literally. It is a cinematic exploration of the Bible verse, 'Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.’ Commenting on receiving the Outstanding Award, James said: ‘I'm incredibly lucky to get to this stage and I look forward to watching Lizzie’s short film on the big screen. The Pitch has been brilliant and I’ve loved it.’
This year’s Lucy Scher Award, for the best female filmmaker, goes to Alice Johannessen, a script editor from Leamington Spa, who captivated judges with Flesh & Blood, a domestic thriller set in an isolated rural village in England. The film tells the story of Julia, a woman in her mid-40s who’s been tasked with hosting the perfect family event for her parents’ golden wedding anniversary. But on the day of the party, an unsettling revelation about her brother forces Julia to confront a deeply buried family secret. It is inspired by the story of David, Jonathan and Saul. Alice remarked that: ’It’s incredibly special to be awarded the Lucy Scher Award - Lucy had such an impact on The Pitch and it’s an honour to be part of her legacy supporting female filmmakers.’
